Skunk Catcher

The skunk looked at Kevin, unafraid. White slobber dribbled from its chin whiskers. It had the same vacant look as the rabid skunk in the park. "You're the one," Kevin said. "Now what do I do?" Thirteen-year-old Kevin Barton would much rather hunt and trap in the wilderness than be stuck inside a classroom in Beaverton, Oregon. Big for his age, clumsy, and out of touch with the other kids, Kevin dreams of being in Alaska with his dad. But Mom never talks about Dad, or why she hates Grandpa, and it costs money to fly to Alaska. The closest Kevin ever gets to wilderness life is when Grandpa John teaches him to read animal sign during summer campouts. When Kevin earns enough money to buy a "live" trap to catch animals in the woods near school, he gets a new outlook on life. Then a dangerous, rabid skunk is discovered roaming the area, and a cash reward is offered for its capture. Suddenly, Kevin realizes there is a chance to go to Alaska. All he has to do is catch that skunk!